Senate tightens legislation against drugged drivers
Given that the number of drivers caught drugged behind the wheel has increased significantly, the Romanian Senate announces additional measures, which will come into force in a year.
Daniela Budu, 15.04.2025, 14:00
Given that the number of drivers caught drugged behind the wheel has increased significantly, the Romanian Senate announces additional measures, which will come into force in a year.
The Romanian Senate passed, on Monday, with 85 votes in favor, 3 against and 30 abstentions, the legislative proposal to amend the Criminal Code regarding the punishment of those who drive after taking drugs or other psychoactive substances. This piece of legislation was submitted at the end of January to the Senate, as the first chamber notified, by several parliamentarians. According to an amendment, driving a vehicle is not punished if the presence of psychoactive substances in the blood was caused by prescription medication. The senators have decided that, by the date the law takes effect, in about a year, the Ministry of Health will draw up a list of psychoactive substances that will be approved by law and will take the necessary measures so that the release of medicines containing psychoactive substances or with psychoactive effects is carried out only upon medical prescription.
The penalties were not increased from 2 to 7 years, as the draft law provided in its initial form, and remained, as at present, from one to five years in prison. According to one of the initiators, PSD Senator Robert Cazanciuc, the role of this proposal is to protect our lives against those who get behind the wheel after taking drugs. Robert Cazanciuc: “The bill allows the Ministry of Health to draw up the list of psychoactive substances in such a way that every citizen knows very clearly what is allowed and what is not allowed. The Ministry of Health must also take measures so that the medicines that can today be bought from pharmacies without a prescription, containing psychoactive substances, can be taken only on the recommendation of a doctor who will indicate very clearly whether or not that substance affects the ability to drive”.
In opposition, USR partially criticized the document and abstained from voting. Senator Simona Spătaru referred to the fact that the law enters into force one year after the date of publication in the Official Journal: “This postponement, which says that this law enters into force within one year from the date of publication, I think says more than I could say myself. It is clear that even its initiators are not very happy with what came out in the end”.
The legislative proposal will now be debated by the Chamber of Deputies, the decision-making body in this case. It should also be noted that according to recent data from the General Inspectorate of the Romanian Police, in a single night when almost 11,000 drivers were tested, 132 were found to be under the influence of alcoholic beverages and over 600 under the influence of psychoactive substances. Also, a report of the Traffic Police covering five months of last year showed that approximately 1,800 people were found to be under the influence of psychoactive substances and 11,600 under the influence of alcohol. And we are talking only about those who were caught.
